31 October 2006

Ovonic metal hydride fuel cell. Click to enlarge.

Energy Conversion Devices (ECD Ovonics) has received a contract to develop and to demonstrate a hydrogen engine electric hybrid airport tow tractor and to further develop its advanced Ovonic metal hydride fuel-cell technology for the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) via its National Automotive Center (NAC).

The contract will be administered by Aerospace Engineering Spectrum (AES), based in Ogden, Utah, via a subcontract to ECD Ovonics on behalf of Ovonic Hydrogen Systems and Ovonic Fuel Cell Company. AES will provide project management services through its prime contract with the Department of Defense under the Design Engineering Support Program.

Ovonic metal hydride storage system. Click to enlarge.

The Ovonic onboard storage system for vehicles is constructed in a lightweight carbon fiber-wrapped tank integrated with an internal heat exchanger. The system provides nearly four times the hydrogen storage capacity of a similarly sized 5,000 psig compressed hydrogen tank. The charging pressure of the system is no more than 1,500 psig (normally between 300 and 1500 psig, depending on the application), with a charging time of less than 10 minutes to 90% of capacity.

The metal hydride fuel cell has an intrinsic energy storage capability, and as a result can store and use regenerative braking energy. It also can provide instant cold start. The onboard energy storage also allows the Ovonic Metal Hydride Fuel Cell to operate for several minutes without hydrogen.